Effects of sod-cutting on the nematode community of a secondary forest of Pinus sylvestris L.

Atmospheric S and N compounds accumulate in the surface layers of the forest soil environment, where they affect soil biota and nutrient availability for tree growth. In addition to measures to reduce the input of atmospheric deposition, removal of the ectorganic layers by sod-cutting may contribute to the recovery of the soil ecosystem. In this study, we examined the effects of sod-cutting on the nematode fauna of a Scots pine forest, 1 and 3 years after treatment. Sod-cutting reduced the total numbers of nematodes, nematode taxa, and Maturity Index. The first taxa that colonized the newly developing organic layers after sod-cutting had low colonizer-persister (c-p) values, and appeared to have originated from the tree canopy and mineral soil. Colonization, presumably from nearby untreated plots, was observed 3 years after the sod-cutting. The initial (after 1 year) nematode community of the new organic layer comprised hyphal-, bacterial-, and algal-feeding nematodes, whereas plant-feeders, predators, and omnivores were not detected. The composition of the nematode fauna in the ectorganic layers 15 and 39 months after sod-cutting was highly similar to that of the nematode fauna of the early stages of a primary succession of Scots pine forest in a reference area in the Netherlands. In the mineral soil only insect parasites were negatively affected by sod-cutting.